Last week the outlet in the hallway got broken. My wofe left the vacuum cleaner plugged into it, I tripped on the cord, and fell, the cord got yanked out and the outlet broke leaving exposed contacts. The whole front part of it popped off on one of the two plugs. I figured I better replace it before someone gets a shock.
I went to Home Depot and was faced with a whole array of outlets. I never knew they came in red and orange and all sorts of other colors and the prices were from a buck to over 20 bucks for those push button ones. I just wanted a white one, which is what we had. Well, it turned out the color is actually called ivory because they also have white ones that are whiter than the ivory color. There was some expensive ones in boxes, but I just grabbed one that was not boxed and cost a little over a buck. They were unboxed and bulk.
I was walking up to the counter to check out. The outlet was in my left hand and I was reaching for my wallet with my left hand when I felt a very powerful shock in my left hand, and up my arm, which knocked me to the floor. The next thing I knew, I had some paramedics pumping on my chest and they had oxygen and some tubes connected to me. I was rushed to the hospital. The cause turned out that I touched the screws on that outlet where the wires attach, and I received a very bad electric shock. All of this because Home Depot is too cheap to put these outlets in cardboard boxes. I nearly lost my life because of this.
I wonder how many more people have been electricuted at Home Depot while buying these unboxed outlets? I've contacted my attorney and will be suing Home Depot. I never did get that outlet since I was hauled away in an ambulance, and I sort of remember it dropping to the floor when I collapsed. The next outlet I buy will be in a BOX. It might cost a buck more, but at least it's safe, and I know not to touch the screws when I take it out of the box.
WARNING: If you ever buy outlets at Home Depot, DO NOT buy the unboxed ones, or if you do, DO NOT touch the screws on the sides of them, or you too could end up getting electricuted at Home Depot.
Mark King